Rotary internal combustion engine



ug.` 16,1933. H. MCINTYRE H3795 `RO'I.' ARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 1. 1937 SvSheetSg-Shm I F76/ Afro/ rrr.

Aug.*1s,1938. H, MCINTYRE 2,126,795

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb.' l, 1937 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. MclNTYRE vROTARY INTERNAL coMBUsTIoN ENGINE Aug. 16, 1938.

- Filed Feb. '1, 1937 `sa sheets-sheet s 7' TORNEXI'.

Aug. 16, 1938.

H. MCINTYRE ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSITION ENGINE Filed Feb. i937 l 9 sheetssneer 4 32 wf/W0@ HMG/wmf. BY

H770 NDS Aug. 1,6, 1938. H. MclNTYRE A ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. l, 1937 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 ug; 16', 1938. MCINTYRE ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 1. 1957 ssheets-sheet s @fr0 Msn.

Aug. 16, 1938. H. MclN'rYRE ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 1. 1937 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 H77 A/ Xf.

.ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTON ENGINE Filed Feb. 1, 1937 9 SheetsfSheet' 8 Aug. 16, 1938. H. MclNTYRE v2,126,795

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTIO ENGINE Filed Feb. 1, 1957 9 Sheets-Shea?l 9 /A//ff/vo/ f/ MUA/WWE HTTRNEX Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT f OFFICE ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Hugh McIntyre, Kirkland Lake, Qntario, Canada Application February 1,1937, Serial No. 123,354

` t claims.l (o1. 12s- 11) 'My invention relates to improvements in rotary internal combustion engines,- and the object of the invention is to provide an engine which will be extremely light in-proportion tothe power developed, which will be simple in construction and have a reduced number of working parts, in whichpression stroke so that thev pressure at the point4 of exhaust at normal speed is equal to atmospheric pressure ensuring full use of power and eliminating exhaust noise, in which there is complete scavenging of the burnt gases, in which one hundred per cent pure air is provided for each compression stroke, in which there is no vacuum created on the induction stroke and -very little-loss of power due to this cause, and in which each piston is cooled at the completion ofeach power stroke by. fresh air contacting therewith, and it consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly explained. 1 i

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through the engine on line l-fl Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the centre of Fig. 1 showing the pistons and piston'carrier discs Vin full and the path of travel of the centre crank pin of the engine and the main position of the actuating slots in'dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig.2 on a reduced scale showing the pistons in the iiringand iinal exhaust positions.

Fig. 4 is a perspective detail showing the crank mechanism in the position it assumes in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 3 showing the position of the pistonsduring their power and compression strokes. A

Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig. 4 showing the position of the crank mechanism corresponding to that shown in Fig. 5.'

Fig. '7 is a similar View to Fig. 3 showing the pistons in the positionv they assume during the power, .compression, exhaust and induction strokes. g. .Y

' Fig. 8 is` -a similar view to Fig. 4 showing the crank mechanism in the position corresponding 5 .to Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a similar view vto Fig.'3 showing the pistons inthe position they assume near the completion of the power, compression, induction and exhaust strokes.

Fig. 10 is a perspective detail of the crank mechanism similar to Fig. 4 in the position assunied in connection with Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a similar view to Fig. 3 showing the pistons in the 'positions `they assume at the completion of the compression stroke andk the commencement of the induction'and compression strokes during the second half of the cycle of operation.

Fig. 12 is a perspective detail of the crank mechanism similar to Fig. 4 and corresponding to the position of Fig. 11. Y

Fig. 13 is a similar view to Fig. 4 showing the pistons in the positions' they assume during the power, exhaust and compression strokes of th second half of the cycle.

Fig. 14 is a perspective detail of the crank mechanism similar to Fig. 4 and illustrating the position of the cranks corresponding to Fig. 13.

Fig. 16 is a perspective detail of the crank lmechanism similar to Fig. 4 and corresponding to' the position assumed in Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a similar view to Fig. 3 showingv the `pistons in the position they assume near the'end of the power, compression, exhaust and induc-l tion strokes. Y l

Fig. 18 is av perspective detail of the crank mechanism similar to Fig. 4 showing the parts in the position they assume corresponding to that in Fig. 1'7. Y

Fig. 19 is a similar view to Fig. 3 showing the pistons in the position they assume at the end of the second half of the cycle of movement.

Fig. 20 is a perspective detail of the crank mechanism similar to Fig. 4 and corresponding in position to the position assumed in Fig. 19.

Fig. v21 is a perspective detail on a reduced scale of thek pistons and their carriers showing the carriers separated apart.

Fig. 22A is a perspective detail of onel of the crank mechanisms showing the parts ,thereof separated apart and the ball bearings removed.

Fig. 23 is a sectional detail through the annular cylinder of the engine taken through the combined air inlet and exhaust ports.

Fig. 24 is a perspective detail vof the ily wheel.

. drical annular portions IX and 2 which, when the parts I and 2 of the engine are bolted together, form an annular engine cylinder. The centre portion of the members I and 2 is formed cylindrical as indicated at Io and 20 and centrally of these portions is formed an annular disc containing space as indicated at 4.

5 and 6 are end plates which are secured by bolts 3l! and 39X to the engine body at the outer ends of the cylindrical portions I0 and 2. The plates 5 and 6 are provided with central recesses 5 and 6X containing main bearings 1 and 8 in which the main shaft 9 of the engine is mounted. I0 and II are sleeves mounted on the central portion of the engine shaft 9 and provided with an intervening bushing IIIX. I2 and I3 are annular discs which are contained within the disc containing space4 4so as to surround the sleeves ID and II, the inner periphery of the disc fitting such sleeves and the outer periphery of the disc being curved so as.l to correspond with the curvature of the annular cylinder formed by the semi-cylindrical portions IX and 2X. 'I'he discs I2 and I3 are shown in detail in Fig.. 21.

I4, I5, I6 and I1 are pistons which fit the annular cylinder formed by the members I and 2X, such piston being integral with the disc I2 which forms a carrier therefor. III,l I9, 2D and 2l are pistons which also iit the cylinder formed by the portions I and 2X and are formed integral with the disc I3. When the discs I2 and I3v are placed face to face in position within the engine, the pistons I4, I5, I6 and I1 alternate with the pistons I8, I9, 20 and 2I.

22 and 23 are combined air inlet and exhaust ports located at each side of the engine cylinder in alignment one with the other and formed by grates 22X and 23X. A centre pin 220 is used to divide the ow of incoming air so that a small portion passes transversely for scavenging and a larger portion of fresh air passes transversely ahead of the pistons for compressionwhen the pistons make their compression strokes. By this means a free passage of pure air is permitted to pass from one side of the cylinder to the other.

Referring to Fig. 3, a charge of air compressed to the ring point lls the space between the pistons I4 and I8 and the space between the pistons I6. and 20 into which space atomized fuel is discharged by the injector, hereinafter referred to, through orifices 24 and 25. The fuel so injected is fired by the heat generated by the compression of the air within the space between the pistons I4 and I8 and I8 and 20.

When the explosion takes place normally if the pistons were in a stationary position they would be driven equally in opposite directions. The pistons I8 and 29 are driven Yin the direction of rotation,

ment is due to the rotation minus that due to the explosion and is suflicient to carry the pistons I4 and I6 from one side of the point of injection to the opposite side of such point. These pistons then nsuccessively assume the positions illustrated in Figs. 5, '1, 9 and 11, the pistons I4, I5, I6 and I1 being connected vto one carrier disc I2 land the pistons I8, 'I9, 20 and 2| to the other carrier disc I3. As previously described the above movement of the pistons I8 and 29 will be transferred to the pistons 2| and I8 and the movement of the pistons I4 and I6 will be transferred to the pistons I1 and I5.

In the position of the pistons I1 and 2l and the pistons I5 and I9 opposite the exhaust ports, the space between these pistons has been scavenged and the space between the pistons 2l and I4 and between the pistons I9 and I6 will be filled with pure airwhich will be compressed by the forward movement of the pistons 2| and I9 towards the relatively stationary pistons I4 and I6. The pistons I1 and I5 moving in unison with the pistons I4 and I6 and in the direction of rotation slowly uncover a portion of the exhaust ports 22 and 23 so that the pistons I8 and 2U as they travel forward during their power stroke force the burnt gases through the portions of the exhaust ports uncovered by the forward movement of the pistons I1 and I5. When this movement is complete the pistons I4 and 2| are situated at each side of one point of injection and the pistons I9 and I6 at each side of the other point of injection so that for the next piston movements the pistons I4 and I6 become the driving pistons and the pistons 2I and I9 relatively stationary heads against which the next explosion takes place.

It will thus be seen that the disc carriers alternately operate in a forward direction by a repeated forward rocking movement.

I will now describe the means by which the drive of the pistons is transferred to the drive shaft of the engine.

The disc carriers for the pistons are4 provided with curved slots, the carrier I2 having the slots 26 and 21 and the carrier I3 having the slots 28 and 29. Whenthe discs are placed together in a face to face position with the pistons at the firing position, the inner ends of the slots 26 and 28 are in alignment and the inner ends of the slots 21 and 29 are in alignment, these slots curving outwardly in opposite directions as clearly indicated in Fig. 2.

In an engine such as described, I employ two crank mechanisms each of which is provided with a centre crank pin 30. A crank pin '30 extends through the slots 26 and 28 and a crank pin 30 extends through the slots 21 and 29. From each of the crank pins 30 extend crank arms 3| and 32 formed integral therewith and provided, at their opposite ends, with outwardly extending crank pins 33. The crank pins 33 are provided with feather keys 35. 36 and 31 are pinions provided with key grooves 36X (see Fig. 22). The pinions 36 and 31 are slipped on to the crank pins u33 so as to engage the keys 35 to hold them from rotation on such crank pins. 38 and 39 are annular gear rings which are secured by the bolts 38 and 39X to the body of the engine so as to be held in a stationary position.

40 are flywheels one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 24. 'I'he ywheels 40 are secured to the shaft 9 at each side of the discs I2 and I3. 4I and 42 are bearing supporting plates, one

of which is secured to each flywheel 40 and have 75 44 with each of which a gear 36 or 3l is in mesh and between whichand the bearing d3 is formed an annular recess 45 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. The rack M, recess 45 and bearings 43 and 4Ix are all in axial alignment.

it is a short shaft. A shaft 4t is mountedin each pair of bearings 4IX and 43. The inner end u of 'each shaft is provided with a crank arm 46X formed integral therewith and recessed at 43 to receive a ball bearing 4l in which the vouter ends of the crank arms 33 are journalled. The shafts t6 and crank arms 46X form the outer crank members of the crank system. On the outer end of each shaft 46 is secured a gear wheel i3 so as to revolve with the shaft in mesh with the stationary racks 38 and 33. The gear 4t an rack 3d have a gear ratio four to one.

When the centre crank pins 33 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction around the centres formed by the pins 33, the gears 3l are rotated to travel around the rack 4t in a clockwise direction held in mesh therewith oy the crank arms MX revolving in the annular recesses'dii and thereby carrying such crank arms around in the same direction or in an opposite direction to the crank pins 30. By this means the shafts 4t are rotated revolving the gears 43 meshing with the stationary annular racks 38 and 33 in al counterclockwise direction and, therefore, through the flywheels 40 on which .the crank mechanisms are carried rotating the drive shaft d in a `rcounterclockwise direction. It may be stated that the gears 36 and racks 44 have a gear ratio of one to two.

The engine is started by turning the drive shaft t carrying the iiywheels 40 therewith. By the rotation of the iiy-wheels 40, the gear wheels 4t are rotated as they travel around the stationary rack 33. 'Ihe rotation of the gears do operate the centre crank pins 30 to perform the inward and outward movement by means of the shaft 46, crank arms 46X, gears 36, racks 44, crank pins 33 and crank arms 3l and 32.

llihe inward and outward movement of the crank pins 30 by means of the slots 2o and 2'i` I in the disc I2 and the slots 28 and 2li in the disc I3 in which this movement takes place, rocks the discs I2 and I3 to advance or recede in the manner previously set forth.

The movement ofthe crank arms 3I and 3i, crank arms 46X. and the travel of the gears 31 and 43 in the racks 44, 38 and 39 in relation to the` crank pins 30 is illustratedl by dotted lines in Figs. 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 19, the crank arms 3I, gears' 31 and racks 44 being illustratedhby flne dotted lines and the crank arms' 46X, gears 48 and rack 33 being illustrated by comparatively heavy dashed lines. In Figs. 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 this crankmovement is illustrated in perspective showing the'successive positions during the drivefor one-quarter revolution of the drive shaft 9.

After the engine is started its operation is as follows: e

The power stroke of each of the pistons I3 and 20 imparts a forward concentric movement to the piston carrier disc I3 ln which the slots 23 and 29 are located. The pistons I4 and Itand piston carrier disc I2 have simultaneously a very,

short forward movement so that as the engine revolves the centre crank pins 30 are forced out wardly longitudinally of the slots 26 and il of the disc I2 when engaged by the rear waiis of the slots 2t and 29 of the disc I3 as such disc rocks forward in advance ofthe disc i2 so that the centre cranks 30 successively assume the positions a, b, c, d and e indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 as the slots 2li and ZIJ cut across the slots 23 and 2l. Each of these positions is indicated in fuit lines separately in Figs. 3, 5, 7, Si and ll. When the crank pin is driven to the position e the outward ends of the slots 28 and 29 lie in registering position with the outer ends of the slots 2t and 2l and the centre crank 3d has been rotated a half revolution around the centre formed by the crank pins 33.

By the movement of the pistons IEB and it performing their long power strokes driving the en gine an eighth oi a revolution and the short strokes of the pistons iti andy it carrying such pistons III- and It to the-.opposite side of the injection orifices 2t and 2W, the pistons III and It connected to the disc It become the power or driving pistons for the next eighth of the engine revolution instead of the pistons I3 and it connected to the disc i3. The pistons 3i and I3 then act as resisting heads. Ilihe power strokes oi the pistons It and It imparta forward movement to the piston carrier disc it in which the slots 2t and 2i are located. The piston carrier i3 has simultaneously a very short forward movement so that as the engine revolves the rear walls of the siots Qj'and il engage the crank pins it as the slots 2t and il cut across the slots it and iii so that the centre crank pins it are forced inward longitusinauy or the Slots 2c and 2c of me sise i3, me.

centre crank pins 3d' successively assuming the positions f, o', h and i indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 rotating the crank pin around the centre formed by the crank pins 33. These positions are separately indicated in full lines in Figs. 13, l5, 1'7 and 19. The successive drive of the pistons I d and 20 on one side of the engine and of the pistons III and I 6 on the opposite side, as above described, complete the one-quarter revolution of the engine drive.

The movement of the crank pin 33 from the position a to position e rotates the crank pins 33 and gears 31' so that they travel one-half revolution around the fly wheel racks 44 and the movement of the crank pin 33 from position e to position i rotates the crank pins 33 and gears 31 so that they travel the other half revolution around the racks `44. By this pinion travel the crank arms 46X are revolved in the same direction or in a direction opposite tothe centre crank pin 33 to rotate the shafts 46 and gears 43 so that they travel around the stationary gear rings 33 and 33 carrying the fly-Wheel, crank mechanism, piston carriersl and pistons in the same direction to rotate the drive shafti. v

By the power strokes of the pistons I3 and 2l. burntgases ahead of such pistons resulting from av previous firing are forced forward to pass through the exhaust ports 22 and 23. Simultaneously as the pistons I5 and I1 make theshort forward movement in unison with the pistons I4 and I and such exhaust operation the pistons I9 and 2i moving in unison with the pistons t8 and 20 perform compression strokes enactingr with the pistons I6 and I4 as they makeftheir short forward movement thereby .compressing the air drawn in by the forward movement, of the pistons I4 and I6. The pistons I9 and 2| simultaneously with their aforesaid compression stroke perform induction strokes by'- drawing fresh air through the exhaust ports behind them. By the power strokes of the pistons I I and IE the burnt gases resulting from the power strokes of the pistons I8 and 20 are forced through the exhaust ports 22 and 23, the pistons I5 and I'I performing, at the same time, their combined compression and induction strokes completing the piston operation of the first quarter revolution of theengine.

For the flrst half ofthe second quarter of the engine revolution, the pistons 2 I` and I9 first perform the combined power and exhaust strokes and the pistons I8 and 20 simultaneously perform combined compression and induction strokes. For the second half ofthe second quarter of the engine revolution, the pistons I1 and I5 perform combined power and exhaust strokes and the pistons I 5 and Il combined compressionl and induction strokes. For the first half of the third quarter of the engine revolution, the pistons and Il perform combined power and exhaust strokes and the pistons I9 and 2| combined compression and induction strokes. For the second half of the third quarter of the engine revolution,r thepistons I6 and I4 perform the combined power and exhaust strokes and the pistons I5 and I'i the combined compression and induction strokes. For f the first half of the fourth quarter of engine revolution, the pistons I9 and 2I perform combined power and exhaust; strokes and the pistons I8 and 20 combined compression and induction strokes. For the second half of the fourth quarter of the engine revolution, the pistons I5 and I1 perform combined power and exhaust strokes and the pistons f4 and I6 combined compression and induction strokes thus completing the cycle of engine revolution. As will be seen from referring to Fig. 2 the .movement of the crank pin 30 is the same during each quarter revolution of the engine.

The injectors for driving vapourized fuel into the charge of compressed air forced through the orifices 2l and 25 may be of any desired type, that shown being of rotatingtype and comprising generally an outer cylindrical casing 48 in which ls journalled a centre cam shaft 50 driven from the engine drive shaft 9 by the gear 5I meshing with the gears 52 secured to the shafts 53 and connected by bevelled gears 54 and bevelled gears 55 to the cam shafts 50. The cam shaft 5I) is provided with a cam 56, operating spring pressed plungers I1 for forcing oil fed into the duct 51X through the ports 58 as the cam releases each plunger at thew shoulder 56X thereof. pressure so created raises a needle valve 59 provided with spiral grooves 5'9X which impart a swirling action to the oil as it is injected in a ilne stream through the flaring orifices 24 and 25 and thus atomizing it as it passes into the compressed charge of air in the engine cylinder.

I do not describe these injectors in further detail as they form the subject matter of a separate application. l `v From this description it will be seen that I have devised an engine in which there will be lack of vibration due to the natural balance of all the parts, in which there is elimination of loss due to The p11 duction of moving parts, in which friction is.reduced to a minimum, in which there is one hundred per cent of scavenging combined with elimination of loss due to a vacuum on the induction stroke, in which there vis excess length of power stroke over compression stroke eliminating power loss and ensuring a silent engine, in which there is extremely high thermal efficiency due to the foregoing and to the great relative increase in pistonspeed which will result in almost perfect adiabatic thermal curve, and in which there is very great reduction in the weight of the engine in proportion to the power developed, which reduction will be proportionately larger as the power of the engine built is increased.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. The combination with a stationary engine body, engine shaft, an annular concentric cylintrolling the central crank to rotate evenly during cach revolution, and means actuated by the pistons, npiston carriers and -the central crank for rotatmg the fly wheels and the engine shaft to -which the fly wheels are secured.

2. The combination with the engine body, engine shaft, an annular concentric cylinder within the body and pistons operating'ln the cylinder and piston carriers freely mounted on the engine shaft, of fly wheels secured to the engine shaft, a centre crank member engaging the carriers, means actuated by the movement of the pistons for causing the centre cra'nk member to rotate on its own axis and revolve about the engln'e shaft, said means including outer cranks journalled in the fly wheels, a driving connection between the centre crank and outer cranks, stationary annular gears in the engine body concentric to the engine shaft, and a gear secured to each outer crank and meshing with the corresponding stationary annular gear to drive the carriers, parts carried thereby, and engine shaft about its axis.

3. The combination with a stationary engine body and engine shaft rotatably mounted in the body, of a pair of discs loosely mounted on the shaft, pistons carried by the discs for alternately rotating the discs, there being oppositely curved slots in the respective discs, fly wheels secured to -member, and means operated by the rotation of the outer crank members for revolving in unison the carriers, ily wheels, parts carried thereby and engine shaft, such means comprising stationary gears carried by the engine body, and pinions secured to the outer crank members and meshing with the stationary gears, and a driving connection between the centre and outer crank members.

4. The combination with a stationary engine 7l reciprocating parts, in which there is a. great rebody, engine shaft, an annular cylinder formed in 75 -pistons formed integral with the carriers, there being oppositely curved slots formed in the carriers to convert the oscillating movement of the carriers into a, reciprocating movement to and from the `engine shaft. the ends of which slots alternately registering, of a central crank wernber having a crank pin extending through the slots of the carriers and adapted to move to the outer` registering ends 'of the slots as the advance piston makes its forward oscillation and to the inner registering ends of the slots as the rear piston makes its forward oscillation torotate the crank, a stationarygear secured to the engine body at each side thereof, a driving mechanism including a gear secured to each side of the central crank, an annular internal gear with which each of the crank gears mesh to travel therearound, and a gear secured to the opposite end of the driving mechanism and meshing withrthe 'respective stationary gears of the engine body,

and means for mounting the driving mechanism on theengine shaft so that -as the mechanism is revolved therearound by coaction with the pistons and .piston carriers the engine shaft is rotated.

5. In an internal combustion engine, an engine body having an annular cylinder therein, pistons operating in pairs' within the cylinder, a fuel inlet between the pistons of each alternate pair atthe period of highest compression, air ports inthe v opposing walls of the cylinder between which at the same period the remaining pairs of pistons are situated, and so formed as to permit of cool air being drawn into the cylinder between the air ports so that a portion passes ahead of the ad? on the engine shaft, oi' outer crank members, each including a shaft and arm. a central crank member having a central crank pin and outwardly extending crank pins journalled in the arms of the outer crank members, members secured to the main-shaft in which the shafts of the outer crank Y members are journalled, means actuated by the oscillations of the piston .carriers and coacting with the centre pin of the centre crank member for rotating the centre crank member around its ownA axis, means actuated by the rotation of the centre crank for rotating' the outer crank members in an opposite direction to the centre crank member, and a driving connection between the ,outer crank members andstationary engine body whereby the engine shaft is rotated.

HUGH Mcm-ryan. 

